SOLUTIONS Newsletter: October 07 2012

Community Peacemaker Award Breakfast

Thursday, October 11th, 2012 - The Peacemaker Program Inc., will be holding our First Community Peacemakers Award Breakfast. An elegant buffet will be served at the Radisson Hotel at 7:30am. The event will honor those dedicated individuals who are exceptional all year long, and who make our agency's mission possible. The breakfast is free for volunteers, who may invite as many others as they wish at only $20.00 each. Tables of ten are available for $175.00. Please phone at 315-724-1718, or may register for the event online.

New this year we will be presenting our

"Community Peacemaker Award"

After receiving several worthy nominations from the public the nominating committee chose Maria Elena Santos LCSW as our first Community Peacemaker Award recipient.

Congratulations Maria Elena Santos

Mary Gordon Hayes' letter nominating Maria Elena was profound and well written:

"Maria has spent the past 19 years building the foundation for a more peaceful community. As a social worker with Young Scholars, in partnership with Family Services and the Center for Family Life and Recovery, she has given hundreds of students the tools to navigate through life’s challenges. She has provided and continues to provide, individual counseling to students, as well as support for families during and after stressful times. The families then continue to develop the resources Maria has identified and are better able to work as a positive family unit.

Some of Maria’s most impactful work has been performed at Donovan Middle School in Utica where she runs an after school anger management group, open to all students, which helps children learn how to handle the very normal emotion of anger in ways that lead to positive solutions. By teaching a child at age 12 how to be a more peaceful person, our community becomes a more peaceful place for years to come.

Maria has been a driving force for the long-term Young Scholars mentoring program that has given many students a connection not only to their mentor, but to their community. She further strengthens that connection by supporting the students’ involvement in community service activities. Maria teaches by example; working with the students at community service events providing transportation and making sure all feel welcome and comfortable in new and often strange environments. All of her actions have a life-long influence on the students and their families.

A connection to community, skills to work toward positive and peaceful outcomes, all given by an honest, caring and kind person. Our community is a better place because we have Maria."

CASA

The Peacemaker Program welcomes 
Ruth Concepcion
 as a new CASA volunteer!! 
Thanks Ruth...these kids 
need people like you.

We are please and proud to announce that through the diligent efforts of our CASA Advocates two more children have been adopted and now have safe, permanent and loving home. If you would like to know more about the Court Appointed Special Advocate program, visit our website.

CASA of Oneida and Herkimer Counties is accepting money donations or crayons, coloring books, board games, arts and craft items, gift cards or make-up to gift to children and families who are in the adoption process. We have, thus far, 12 families that have adopted. Donations are needed by Friday, November 9. You can contact us at the Peacemaker Program for more information. Thank you in advance.

We will be holding CASA volunteer training starting in November.

The training will include:

• independent home study with 4 sessions

• 14 hours of in-house training

• 4 hours of family court observation

Our selection process requires:

• 3 reference checks

• NYS Child Abuse Registry clearance

• Criminal history background check

Please go to our website to fill out the application.

The Peacemaker Program, Inc. provides a continuum of services including skill development, dispute resolution programs and child advocacy services through the use of carefully trained volunteers. Our mission is to offer inclusive, innovative approaches to resolve conflict and achieve positive outcomes for children, families and the community.

Not interested any more? {unsubscribe}Unsubscribe